Press Releases 2007
U.S. Diplomat Visits Power99 FM Radio; Urges Lifting Of Curbs On Media
11/30/2007
Islamabad - The U.S. Embassy’s Press Attaché, Elizabeth O. Colton, today visited Power99 FM Radio station here and expressed the U.S. Government’s “grave concern” over the continued closure of Power99 FM radio and other private radio and television channels in the country since the imposition of emergency on 3rd November.
“Such extreme and unreasonable measures are clearly not in Pakistan’s best interest, and contradict the progress Pakistan has made towards becoming a fully democratic society,” the American diplomat said during her meeting with the management and senior editorial staff of Power99 FM Radio here. “The media must be free to report on events and share their opinions with the public.”
During her meeting with the staff at the radio, the U.S. Embassy’s Press Attaché said that the Embassy and the U.S. Government would continue urging the Government of Pakistan to “quickly lift the curbs on media and immediately permit broadcasters to resume their programming.”
“Not only is it an issue of freedom of speech, the press, and the independence of media, such measures are also economically punitive for the affected news organizations,” Press Attaché Colton said.